Shaheen, Collins Applaud Passage of Senate Resolution Recognizing American Diabetes Month

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Susan Collins (R-ME), co-chairs of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, applauded the Senate passage of their bipartisan resolution recognizing November as American Diabetes Month. The resolution supports the goals and ideals of American Diabetes Month, including raising public awareness of prevention and treatment options and enhancing education of the risks of developing diabetes. It also recognizes the importance of decreasing the incidences of type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes through research, treatment and prevention.

“Every November, my Diabetes Caucus co-chair and I work to raise awareness around what is a pervasive, chronic disease that 38 million Americans—including my granddaughter—live with every day,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’m glad the Senate came together to once again unanimously pass our resolution recognizing American Diabetes Month, but there is so much more we need to be doing in this chamber to draw attention to the barriers that patients face to receiving care, to increase access to diabetes treatment options and to fund research that will get us closer to finding a cure."

“During American Diabetes Month, we recognize the 38 million Americans living with diabetes, including more than 115,000 Mainers. For so many of these Americans, like those with Type 1 diabetes, there is no day off from this disease,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan resolution underscores our commitment to improving screening, lowering insulin costs, and supporting the research that is transforming the future of diabetes treatment. We have made real progress towards finding a cure, but there is more to do.”

The resolution can be read in full here.

Senator Shaheen has led efforts across the aisle to lower health care costs for Granite Staters and Americans. As co-chairs of the U.S. Senate Diabetes Caucus, Shaheen and Collins have consistently pressed to hold insulin manufacturers, insurers and pharmacy benefit managers accountable for the skyrocketing cost of life-saving insulin. Their bipartisan Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Act would comprehensively address the soaring cost of insulin, removing barriers to care and making it more accessible for millions more Americans. The Senators have also pushed for passage of their bicameral, bipartisan Strengthening Collective Resources for Encouraging Education Needed (SCREEN) for Type 1 Diabetes Act, to improve early detection and screening for type 1 diabetes.

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